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The Electoral Commission is looking at a social media post by Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris and two billboards and a gazebo left up by the party during yesterday’s Tāmaki Makaurau byelection.
In a message posted by the MP, he is seen walking with a punnet of food withthe words “VOTE (blanked out word) TODAY!!” in bold type.
In a statement today, the commission confirmed it was looking into a complaint about the social media post made by Ferris, as well as two billboards and a gazebo left up that it requested Te Pāti Māori take down.
“We are unable to provide any further comment at this stage,” the statement said.
A screenshot of the post from Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris, which has since been removed.
Ferris today said the social media post on Instagram was removed following a request from the Electoral Commission.
He said he was unaware of the rules about influencing voters on election day.
“(It was) a simple oversight. The byelection is done now anyway. The result is the result. I doubt any sort of post on the day would have influenced the result,” he said.
Under election-day rules, no one is allowed to campaign or do anything which obstructs or influences voters anywhere on election day, according to the Electoral Commission.
The rules, which apply to websites and social media, prohibit influencing voters or telling them to vote or not vote for a candidate or party. Election signs and hoardings must be removed before election day.
The Herald has sought comment from Te Pāti Māori.
It’s the second time in a week Ferris has come under fire for a social media post.
Last week, it was a social media post taking issue with the ethnicity of Labour supporters campaigning for the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection.
In text posted over an image of Labour MPs and volunteers campaigning for Peeni Henare in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, Ferris said: “This blows my mind!!
“Indians, Asians, Black and Pākehā campaigning to take a Māori seat from Māori,” he said, adding multiple “exploding head” emojis and pictures of himself looking confused and shaking his head.
A spokeswoman for Te Pāti Māori said it “does not condone the language used in that post”.
